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The May 1 Shelby County primary ballot is set, with 33 Republicans and 50 Democrats seeking 23 county offices – specifically the right to advance as the nominees of their respective parties to the August county general election.

It's possible around City Hall these days to get your RFQs mixed up with your RFPs. And there is a difference in requests for qualifications and requests for proposals. Usually RFQs come before RFPs – but there are exceptions – loopholes. The latest RFQ out of City Hall – album title or t-shirt slogan? – is for the adaptive reuse of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

With a noon deadline Thursday, Feb. 15, to make the May 1 Shelby County primary ballot, four incumbent county commissioners had no opposition filed in their re-election bids.

Five Republican primary races on the ballot for 23 county offices, including the 13 commission seats, were one-candidate affairs with two or more Democrats running in the competing primaries as of Tuesday. Two Democratic primary races were also one-candidate races against a field of multiple Republican contenders in the companion primary.

Potential contenders in the May county primaries continue to file their qualifying petitions for a spot on the ballot two weeks ahead of the filing deadline.

J.B. Smiley Jr. is the second contender to file in what could be a crowded Democratic primary for County Commission District 8. In addition to Smiley and Mickell Lowery, six other potential contenders have pulled petitions for the primary. No one has pulled a petition in the Republican primary.

Geoff Diaz came to Memphis in 2010 with a lot of political experience and inside knowledge of how the legislative process works.

He moved to Memphis with his wife for her job at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and arrived just after the 2010 midterm congressional primaries. With Charlotte Bergmann as the Republican nominee for the 9th Congressional District seat held by Democratic incumbent Steve Cohen, he immediately signed on as her campaign manager.

The Tigers basketball home opener is a come from behind win Tuesday at the Forum over Little Rock 70-62. Still not enough to determine where this new team in so many ways is bound. But that won’t stop the early speculation … or the later speculation starting with the New Orleans game at the Forum in another week. The Grizz take their turn Wednesday with the Pacers kicking off a Grizz home stand followed by the Rockets Saturday for the third time in this young season, Trail Blazers Monday and Mavericks Wednesday. But let’s not get too far ahead here.

Shelby County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer says the commission, through its attorneys, is in ‘the final stages of launching litigation” against big pharma over the opioid problem locally. And in a written statement Thursday she said she believes the litigation “will result in significant recovery for hundreds of millions of dollars that Shelby County has spent trying to heal, save, nurse and otherwise deal with the opioid crisis.” Shafer specifically announced the hiring on a contingency basis of a national law firm.

Grizzlies over the Rockets 98-90 after being down 12 on the road in Houston. There is just something in the Memphis sports ethos that happens at halftime or between quarters. The Grizz are 3-0 in this young season. And for the second consecutive game some extracurricular action on the court. Mario Chalmers of the Grizz and James Harden of the Rockets scuffled after Chalmers got floored by Harden after Harden got swarmed by him and James Ennis. Harden got the foul and he and Chalmers each got a technical for what followed.

Shelby County Commissioners advanced pay raises Monday, Oct. 16, for 19 elected offices including their own, but vote totals on the three separate pay ordinances varied.

Ranging from 32.4 percent for sheriff to a 10.3 percent hike for county commissioners, the pay raises would take effect with the winners of the August 2018 county general elections. That’s if each of the ordinances gets the required nine-vote, two-thirds majority on third and final reading.

The pay of 19 Shelby County government elected officials would go up in September 2018 for those elected in the August 2018 county general elections under proposals the county commission considers Monday, Oct. 16, on the first of three readings.

The Greater Memphis Chamber rolls out its part of the push by the city administration to get a state waiver for the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue. Next week is the meeting of the Tennessee Historical Commission with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland showing up to make his pitch. That is even though the chairman of the body has told him the commission will not take up a waiver at the meeting.

Art as a real estate consideration. One of the more unusual of many considerations as the Brooks search for a new site – a possible new site, I should add, becomes the city’s favorite topic. So from the CRE vantage point – here are two more possible sites to think about if you haven’t already – Cossitt Library and the Fairgrounds, as well as right where it has been for the last century.

Shelby County Commissioners delayed votes Monday, Sept. 11, on a set of three resolutions dealing with county finances, citing the need for further discussion and questions.

The first of the three is a supplement to the interlocal agreement on financing the Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority to pay the debt on FedExForum. The agreement allows revenue from a 2015 increase in the hotel-motel tax to be used to finance renovations of the Memphis Cook Convention Center as well as the debt on the arena.

The South Memphis Alliance is about to close on a 52,923-square-foot warehouse on South Bellevue at Walker Street, the second part of a hard-fought gateway to the Soulsville area that has been in the works for the past five years.

Shelby County Commissioners delayed votes Monday, Sept. 11, on a set of three resolutions dealing with county finances, citing the need for further discussion and questions.

The first of the three is a supplement to the interlocal agreement on financing the Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority to pay the debt on FedExForum. The agreement allows revenue from a 2015 increase in the hotel-motel tax to be used to finance renovations of the Memphis Cook Convention Center as well as the debt on the arena.

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a switch Monday, Aug, 28, of the county’s health insurance administration contract from Cigna to an $11 million, two-year contract with two one-year renewal options with Aetna.

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a switch Monday, Aug, 28, of the county’s health insurance administration contract from Cigna to Aetna in an $11 million two-year contract with two renewals of one year each.

Shelby County Jury Commission officials have points they always make with citizens on jury duty in Downtown Memphis. And it includes an apology for the parking situation around the Criminal Justice Center and the Judge D’Army Bailey Courthouse, where those called to be on juries will work for a week at a time.

Shelby County commissioners were still calculating Monday, July 17, after they passed a compromised, $4.11 county property tax rate that appears will stay put long enough for the commission to take a final vote Wednesday at a special meeting.

Shelby County commissioners compromised on a $4.11 county property tax rate Monday, July 17, on the way to a final vote on the compromise tax rate at a special meeting Wednesday that would bring down the curtain on the county budget season.

When Shelby County Commissioners convene Monday, July 17, it will be their third meeting in a week – following committee sessions Wednesday and the special meeting to approve a county operating budget two days before that.

Shelby County Commissioners took a step Wednesday, July 12, toward taking back a 3-cent cut in the county property tax rate.

And in the budget committee session, commissioners favoring the tax cut to a $4.10 tax rate said they would reopen this week’s contentious budget debate if the $4.13 tax rate appears to have traction when the full commission meets Monday, July 17.

Shelby County Commissioners took a step Wednesday, July 12, toward taking back a three-cent cut in the county property tax rate.

And in the budget committee session, commissioners favoring the tax cut to a $4.10 tax rate said they would reopen this week’s contentious budget debate if the $4.13 tax rate appears to have traction when the full commission meets Monday, July 17.

At the end of a marathon seven-hour meeting Monday, July 10, with one item on its agenda, the Shelby County Commission agreed on a $1.2 billion budget, including about $1.4 million in amendments added by the commission.

At the end of a marathon seven-hour meeting Monday, July 10, with one item on its agenda, the Shelby County Commission agreed on a $1.2 billion budget including about $1.4 million in amendments added by the commission.

Shelby County Commissioners approved a 3-cent reduction in the county property tax rate Monday, June 12, on the first of three readings but delayed a vote on the operating budget resolution for more discussion about how to account for the tax-rate cut.

Shelby County Commissioners approved a three-cent reduction in the county property tax rate Monday, June 12, on the first of three readings but delayed a vote on the operating budget resolution for more discussion about how to account for a cut in the tax rate.

A total of 2,700 citizens cast early votes ahead Thursday’s special state House District 95 election in eastern Shelby County. And on election day, three of the 14 polling places – two in Collierville and one in Germantown – will move from their regular locations.

Shelby County commissioners took a hard line Monday, April 17, on increasing the share of county government contracts for minority and locally owned businesses now that it has a plan for tackling a documented disparity for such contracts.

Shelby County Commissioners approved a $115,000 grant Monday, Feb. 6, to Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region on a 7-5 party line vote.

The vote on funding for a free condom distribution program that is a federal grant passed through the state drew a capacity crowd in commission chambers Downtown. Some of the partisans in the audience saw the controversy as a reflection of the country’s post-election political divide.

The Shelby County Commission voted down Monday, Dec. 5, an ordinance that would have matched a city of Memphis ordinance allowing police the option of writing a civil summons or ticket with a $50 fine for possession of half an ounce or less of marijuana.

Shelby County Commissioners voted down Monday, Dec. 5, an ordinance that would have matched the city of Memphis ordinance allowing police the option of writing a civil summons or ticket with a $50 fine for possession of half an ounce or less or marijuana.

There are seven no votes on the Shelby County Commission against an ordinance allowing Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies to write a civil summons with a $50 fine for possession of a half ounce or less of marijuana.

A pot ordinance for unincorporated areas of Shelby County got only four votes Monday, Oct. 31, from the county commission but still advanced to second reading, and commissioners could not agree on a resolution opposing a Nov. 8 ballot question that would shift MLGW funds to the city of Memphis.

Shelby County Commissioners couldn’t come up with seven votes, much less a unanimous vote, Monday. Oct. 31, on a resolution opposing the November ballot question that would change the balance of in lieu of tax payments by Memphis Light Gas and Water Division in favor of the city of Memphis.

There were two gateway debates in Memphis City Council chambers Tuesday, Oct. 4, as it debated and then approved an ordinance that gives Memphis Police the discretion to write a ticket with a $50 fine for possession of a half ounce or less of marijuana.

The Memphis City Council gave final approval Tuesday, Oct. 4, to an ordinance that gives Memphis Police the discretion to write a ticket with a $50 fine for possession of a half ounce or less of marijuana.

The political vacuum in the absence of a Shelby County Democratic Party didn’t last long at all.

Following the Friday announcement from Nashville that the local party has been decertified, the Shelby County Young Democrats organization was calling Monday, Aug. 22, for younger Democrats to step up.

Shelby County Commissioners answer the bell again Monday, Sept. 28, on plans to close a fire station that was resurrected in 2012 after being mothballed in the late 1980s.

Fire Station 60, at 5380 Egypt-Central Road, would be closed as part of a shift in fire services serving unincorporated Shelby County prompted by Millington’s withdrawal from an agreement to man the station for the county.

Shelby County Commissioners approved a stable $4.37 county property tax rate Monday, July 6, on third and final reading and wrapped up other loose ends from its budget season. That included passage of $1.3 million in grant spending to be divided equally among the 13 commissioners at $100,000 each.

Shelby County Commissioners may not hear a whole lot new in the way of answers between now and a Thursday special meeting to settle the politically volatile issue of changes to health insurance coverage for county government employees.

Shelby County Commissioners moved a critical vote on changing health insurance benefits for county employees to a special Thursday, Oct. 30, meeting in a Monday session dominated by the proposed changes.

Shelby County Commissioners vote Monday, Sept. 22, on a resolution that is the first step in issuing $120 million in general obligation bonds over the next two years to finance “public works projects, including schools,” according to the resolution.

DISCRIMINATING TASTE. By all means, discriminate. Refuse to accept some prepackaged deal as the best you can do, some label to be the quality test. In the known, look for proven performance from each individual offering, standing alone, not just part of some group menu. In the unknown, demand fresh and bold, the promise of new and interesting interpretations from old and predictable ingredients.

After a week in which his campaign for Shelby County district attorney general took heavy criticism from numerous political fronts, including his own party, Joe Brown said he has no regrets about alleging Republican incumbent District Attorney General Amy Weirich is gay.

The closest race in the May Shelby County primary elections turned into a tale of the tape Wednesday, May 21, as the Shelby County Election Commission certified the results of that and all of the other races on the ballot.

By his count, Martavius Jones believes he and Reginald Milton are tied in their Democratic primary race for Shelby County Commission District 10. That is without adding in the five provisional ballots cast in the race.

As Memphis Democrats gathered for various campaign efforts last weekend, County Commission candidate Martavius Jones received a lot of condolences on his loss in the Democratic primary for commission District 10, and rival candidate Reginald Milton got a lot of congratulations.

Former Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone will challenge incumbent Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell in the August county general election after winning the Tuesday, May 6, Democratic mayoral primary.

One of the six Shelby County Commission incumbents seeking re-election this year was effectively elected to a new four-year term in a new district with the noon Thursday, Feb. 20, filing deadline for candidates in the May county primaries.

The Soulsville arrows beneath the Bellevue Boulevard railroad overpasses near Walker Avenue point north and south. It is the first indication that you are in an area where several possibilities can coexist.

The giant milk bottle will outlive the old dairy plant it stands atop in South Memphis. For more than 80 years, the giant milk bottle adorning a now old and crumbling dairy building on Bellevue Boulevard at Walker Avenue has been an icon.

Interim County Mayor Joe Ford became the Democratic nominee for mayor in the August county general elections Tuesday night.

And the August sheriff’s race will be a contest between Democrat Randy Wade and Republican Randy Wade.

All three were among the winners in Tuesday’s low turnout county primaries.

Approximately ten percent of Shelby County’s nearly 600,000 voters cast ballots in early voting and election day polling.

Ford, who was appointed interim mayor in December, beat County Commissioner Deidre Malone and General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson in the Democratic primary. He will face Republican Mark Luttrell who had only token opposition in the Republican primary from perennial contender Ernie Lunati.

Luttrell has raised more money than all three of the Democratic primary contenders combined and began running television ads in the last week runup to election day.

The final unofficial totals in the Democratic mayoral primary are:

Ford 20,360 57%

Malone 12,916 37%

Jackson 2,168 6%

The pair of primaries for Sheriff featured eight candidates, seven of whom either currently work for the sheriff’s department or are past employees. Only Reginald French, in the Democratic primary was not a former or current department official.

Wade was the 2002 Democratic nominee, losing to Luttrell who is leaving as Sheriff after serving two terms. French was the Democratic nominee in the 2006 elections.

Oldham is Luttrell’s chief deputy, the number two position in the department. He is also a former director of the Memphis Police Department.

Voters in the primary elections decided to return six Shelby County commissioners to new four year terms with Tuesday’s results. They also elected six new commissioners. The winner of the thirteenth commission seat will be decided on the August general election ballot in a contest between district 5 Democratic incumbent Steve Mulroy and Republican challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos. The winner of the match up will determine whether the commission remains majority Democrat or goes majority Republican.

In the remaining ten contests, the primaries decided who gets the seats since no one ran in the opposing party’s primary.

The most hotly contested contest among the commission races was for District 4 Position 1. Outgoing Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas beat John Pellicciotti, appointed to a commission seat last year but running for a different position in the same district. Jim Bomprezzi, the former mayor of Lakeland, was the third contender in the contest.

The final unofficial totals in the Republican primary:

Thomas 7,631 52%

Pellicciotti 4,871 33%

Bomprezzi 2,298 15%

In position 2 of the same district incumbent Republican Wyatt Bunker easily overcame two challengers with former Lakeland alderman John Wilkerson finishing second and Ron Fittes finishing third.

Millington businessman Terry Roland claimed the third position in the district that takes in all six of Shelby County’s suburban towns and cities.

Roland beat George Chism to take the seat Pellicciotti was appointed to but opted not to run for in deference to Roland.

Heidi Shafer, an aide to outgoing County Commissioner George Flinn, claimed Flinn’s District 1 Position 2 seat over Albert Maduska.in the GOP primary.

In the Democratic commission primaries, Melvin Burgess claimed Malone’s District 2 Position 3 seat in a field of six contenders. His closest contender was Reginald Milton. Burgess, a city school system audit manager, had run for the seat before. He brought in 54 percent of the vote.

The other hard fought Democratic commission primary saw Justin Ford, son of the interim mayor, claim his father’s District 3 Position 3 seat.

Ford beat Edith Moore, a retired IBM executive, whom the commission appointed to the seat after the elder Ford became mayor.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Ford 7,342 66%

Moore 3,822 34%

Democratic incumbent commissioners Henri Brooks, Sidney Chism and James Harvey were all re-elected over primary challengers.

The county-wide primaries for seven clerk’s positions saw the return of former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican 16 years after Republican challenger Bill Key took her job. Johnican decisively beat Ralph White and Vernon Johnson in her first bid for office since the 1994 defeat. She will face Republican Kevin Key, the son of Bill Key in the August general election.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Johnican 16,381 51%

White 10,170 31%

Johnson 5,954 18%

Former Juvenile Court Clerk Shep Wilbun easily won the Democratic primary with 76 percent of the vote to face Republican Joy Touliatos in August for the office being vacated by Republican Steve Stamson. Touliatos was unopposed in the primary.

Aside from Leatherwood, Jimmy Moore is the only other of the seven clerks seeking re-election. Moore ran unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Ricky Dixon in August.

Trustee Regina Newman was appointed to her office following the death last year of Paul Mattila. Newman easily overcame M LaTroy Williams in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. She will face David Lenoir, who beat former Shelby County Commissioner John Willingham in the Republican contest.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Lenoir 15,922 58%

Willingham 11,569 42%

The other six candidate field on the ballot was in the Democratic primary for Probate Court Clerk. Sondra Becton posted impressive vote totals over her rivals, bringing in 35 percent of the vote with Peggy Dobbins her closest rival. Becton, who is making her fourth bid for the office, will face Republican Paul Boyd, who ran unopposed in his primary.

The closest contest of the evening was in the Democratic primary for County Clerk. Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin won his political debut by less than 1,400 votes over Charlotte Draper and LaKeith Miller. He will face Republican Wayne Mashburn who beat Steve Moore in the companion primary.

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 5 election day begins July 16. The August ballot will also feature state and federal primary elections including the statewide primaries for governor and the primaries for all nine of the state’s Congressional districts.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for mayor grew to three contenders as General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson filed his qualifying petition just before the deadline. He joins interim County Mayor Joe Ford and Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone.

Luttrell ruled out a bid for Shelby County mayor last year (2009). But when Harold Byrd decided not to run in the Democratic primary, some local GOP leaders asked Luttrell to reconsider.

The result touched off a scramble of candidates from both parties for the open sheriff’s office. But before the noon deadline, the initial field of over a dozen possible contenders was narrowed to ten – six Democrats and four Republicans.

The other surprise at the filing deadline was the return of attorney Walter Bailey to the District 2 Position 1 seat he gave up in the 2006 elections. Bailey sought re-election then to another term despite a two term limit on commissioners. Bailey lost to J.W. Gibson who decided not to seek re-election. He also lost a court fight to overturn the term limits.

Bailey was the only candidate who had filed for the seat at the Thursday deadline.

Only one incumbent county commissioner – Republican Mike Ritz -- was effectively re-elected at the deadline because he had no opposition.

All but one of the eleven contested County Commission races will be decided with the May 4 primaries. The only general election battle for the August ballot is the district 5 contest between GOP challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos and whoever wins the May Democratic primary between incumbent Steve Mulroy and Jennings Bernard.

Former County Commissioner John Willingham also returned to the ballot among a field of Republican contenders in the primary for Shelby County Trustee.

And former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican joined the Democratic primary field for her old job. Incumbent Republican Bill Key pulled petition to seek re-election but did not file at the deadline.

Here is the list of races and contenders from The Shelby County Election Commission. All candidate have until noon Feb. 25 to withdraw from the ballot if they wish.

Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin in the latest Democratic candidate to announce his intention for the 2010 county-wide elections.

Maclin told members of the local Democratic Executive Committee Monday that he will be a candidate in the 2010 Democratic primary for Shelby County Clerk.

Maclin, president and chief executive officer of Maclin & Associates Advertising and Promotions, told The Daily News he had considered running for the post held by Republican Debbie Stamson in 2006 but passed on the race. Stamson beat Democratic nominee Otis Jackson by 478 votes in the 2006 general election. Jackson ran in 2008 for General Sessions Court Clerk as the Democratic nominee and upset Republican incumbent Chris Turner.

Monday’s meeting was the first of the new executive committee since it was elected at a county convention earlier this month and elected attorney Van Turner Jr. as the new party chairman. They followed up by electing attorney Desi Franklin, who was instrumental in Turner’s victory over rival Jay Bailey, as first vice chair of the party. Cherry Davis, who had been first vice chair was elected second vice chair.

The only contested selection was for party secretary. Reginald Milton, another Turner ally, was the committee’s pick over Del Gill, a Bailey ally. Barbara Williams was reappointed party treasurer by Turner.

Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin is the latest Democratic candidate to announce his intentions for the 2010 county-wide elections.

Maclin told members of the local Democratic Executive Committee tonight that he will be a candidate in the 2010 Democratic primary for Shelby County Clerk.

93. Archived Article: Law Focus (env) - Thursday, June 17, 1999 By STACEY PETSCHAUER The green is on New Citizens Environmental Review Panel serves as a liaison between residents and environmental court By STACEY PETSCHAUER The Daily News John, a Midtowner, cant stand the sight of the tangled mass of 2-foot-tall...

94. Archived Article: Gov't (lead) - Wednesday, October 7, 1998 Editor's note: This is the final part of a series of articles examining the Williams Mapco plan to lease seven acres of Martin Luther King Park Leaves vs. lease is Council dilemma By KATHLEEN BURT The Daily News Editors note: This is the final part ...